As he and the rest of them finished up the job, making sure the police had all the information they needed to end this, Mitch moved over to where Connie, Steele’s grandmother, was standing. She didn’t say anything for a long time, and he was content to just be with her. Vinnie had left him again for rest.
“You’re going to be hurt.” He started to tell Connie he’d been checked out when she continued. “That girl you’re seeing, your mate, she’s got a person or two with her that is going to hurt you and the others if you don’t let her go. I don’t know about one of them, but the other—”
“Who? Her father?” She nodded, then shook her head. “This Millicent person then? Are you saying she’s in with her brother and out to hurt me?”
“No. Her father is out to kill her, and you’ll be hurt by it too. If not killed.” She looked at him then, and he could see the fear in her eyes. “He’s been gone for some time, and his powers are huge even now. His sister, Millicent the horrible we call her, is...well, different than he is. And from what I can gather, she’s much different than she was when she was alive too. It’s said they’re not even speaking to each other. And that she avoids him as much as she can living here in the same area.”
“Do you know why he’s after his daughter?” She said she didn’t, not for sure. “Can you find out for me? I could ask Vinnie, but...well, I don’t want to add any more stress to her right now.”
“I think he’s after something that Vinnie has. I’m not sure...there is the mother, but she’s a little on the weird side too. Have you met her yet? Amber Graham?” He said he’d not, but did mention she was already trying to figure out a way to get him out of the picture. “She might be working with her mate. They were never the most...well, from the things I’ve been told, they neglected Vinnie more than they cared for her. But I wouldn’t trust her as far as you can toss her. I don’t know why or if the things I’ve heard are true, but she’s not to be trusted.”
When she left him, Mitch stayed where he was. There was so much going on right now, and he was overwhelmed. Just this morning, before leaving to come here, he’d been served papers saying the attorney for the other side had been excused, but the proceedings were going on. He had to get himself a good attorney.
And Mitch decided it was time to talk to Steele and the others. He had an idea Ray knew a lot, but maybe not all of what had happened to Mitch as a kid. And he had a feeling Nick did as well, but again, not all. There were things that had happened to him that he...there was just so much going on he found he wanted to just crawl deep into a cave and never come out again.
Chapter 3
Addie wasn’t sure what she was supposed to be doing here, but she watched and waited to see if someone would tell her. She and Kari had come to this house this morning when the men hadn’t been back in time to do this job. It had sounded simple enough, and Steele had told them to be extra careful. They were only here to see what the man who had come to the house with Billy had wanted.
“You said he needed us to give his granddaughter something. But you don’t know what.” Billy nodded and smiled at Kari. “This is not very helpful, in the event you didn’t know that.”
“He’s a good friend to me. Been hanging out at the same stone now for a long while.” Billy had been dead for nearly fifty years, but there were times when Addie thought for sure the man had only passed a few days ago, he was so fresh and lively with everything he did or said. She wished all ghosts were like that. “You’ll like him, my dear. He’s one of the kindest men I know. You’ll see when he comes to see us.”
“And what is it we’re to give her? And if you tell me once more it’s a good thing, I’m going to send you back.” Billy laughed. It was an empty threat. Kari loved old Billy about as much as she did his grandson Steele. “Why are we here?”
The moment he stiffened, Addie felt her body do the same. Her thinking was, if he was scared or nervous, she’d better be as well. Waiting for something to happen, she told Kari to stand with her. As her friend moved toward her, the man—a large monster of a man—slowly appeared in front of them. His voice boomed into the room with him.
“What are you doing here? You were not invited.” She didn’t even look at Billy or Kari when the man’s voice thundered at her. “Be gone from here.”
“Who are you?” Kari asked her who it was, and that was when she realized Kari couldn’t see him. “I asked you a question and you have to answer me. What is your name?”